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Negative Issues of the Green Revolution (Lack of biodiversity (Before the…
Negative Issues of the Green Revolution
Lack of biodiversity
Before the Revolution --> 30,000 variants of rice could be planted
Only ten modified rice variants are being used to grow food
If climate change, disease or pestilence attacked the crops famines may take place --> endanger populations
Fertilisation and soil quality
Fertilisers soak into soil and can spread to other areas when it rains --> populations and ecosystems can become contaminated
Soil quality has decreased due to use of synthetic fertilisers rather than natural fertilisers e.g. manure which allow replenishing of nutrients into the soil
Crop rotation has decreased due to lack of variants of crops and this has decreased soil quality as nutrients are not being replaced
Pressure on water
Large irrigation systems were required to sustain the growth of plants
Pressure on natural reserves resulted in water shortages and droughts
Overuse of irrigation in arid areas has created salinization of soils
Unemployment
Mechanisation of farming methods has caused unemployment
Social polarisation
Larger farmers who could afford fertilisers, machinery and labour benefited the most
Smaller farmers lost out and many became landless labourers
Monocultures
HYVs are vulnerable to new strains of disease
Eg. Ug99, a variety of black stem rust fungus discovered in Uganda in 1999, to which no known wheat variety is resistant
Dependency
Without high inputs of fertiliser, water and machinery HYV yields are very low
Farmers become dependent on purchasing these inputs
Eutrophication
Widespread use of agrochemicals has led to eutrophication